The rapid increase in the prevalence of myopia globally is attributed to, "environmental factors (nurture), principally lifestyle changes resulting from a combination of decreased time outdoors and increased near work activities, among other factors," say the authors from Brien Holden Vision Institute, University of New South Wales Australia and Singapore Eye Research Institute.

This is the first time in my life that I've heard that nearsightedness can be induced by how you use your eyes. I thought it was known to be genetic.

This is the first time in my life that I've heard that nearsightedness can be induced by how you use your eyes. I thought it was known to be genetic.

Three of my six siblings were born with myopia, as far as I can remember.
The rest of us, had fully functioning eyes, and only developed hyperopia, in later life.
Personally, I was told that I had better than good vision in both eyes (20/15).
But then, when I was about 20, I developed hyperopia within a 6 month period.

But I'm nearly 60, and cell-phone-ish things weren't available back then.

I am in my early 60s and consider my eye sight okay, it is only the small print on documents that is hard for me to see, i guess in my early days i was all ways outside
so do i need glasses yes i think so for small print and my i phone.